Dry coolant for primary stage of nuclear  reactors

ABSTRACT

Nuclear reactors are customarily cooled by water from a natural source in the area. Water brings impurities to and surrounds the fuel rods with a mix of materials, some of which react with the fuel rod contents. Changing the coolant to a pure, inert gas sourced from its cryogenic liquid form with ambient pressure gives greater control of the situation and enables running the reactor at the critical point of water so the cycle of coolant is released to the purifier carrying whatever material is expelled by the fuel rods and the steam cycle leaves the radiator from the reactor chamber as steam leaving little, if any, water release from the nuclear plant with no impurities but what is emitted by the fuel rods themselves contaminating the rod environment. Eliminating the hot water surrounding the plant, security of the Nuclear site is greater since infrared sighting is prevented with shielding just the reactor. Reactor byproducts can be separated and isolated to protect the environment and provide radioactive reagents for research. Liquid Nitrogen availability also provides the fixed fire and crises control for the entire facility eliminating water damage and electrical arcing keeping the computer and control system functional through crises situations. It is predicted that running the Nuclear reactor at 374° C., the critical point of water, can make a smaller system for the same level of power production from a steam generator and can provide mobility of the system is small scale.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is an expanded, but continued application of U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,506 stemming from the initial application Ser. No. 10/437,538, filed May 14, 2003, and entitled “Liquid Nitrogen Enabler.” Several additional DuBrucq applications on Nitrogen uses are referenced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method of filling the primary sector of a nuclear reactor with inert gas rather than water for managing the temperature of the fuel rods which generate heat by fission of radioactive material contained wuthin them. This allows running the reactor at the critical temperature of water (374° C.) without additional pressurization to keep in liquid phase water at extremely high temperatures.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,506, DuBrucq, introduces uses of just evaporated Nitrogen for a range of fire and crises control means that apply here as it maintains the thermal levels in the primary sector of the steam generator nuclear reactors.

U.S. Application 20080196411, Yukievich, Mikhial, Nuclear Reactors and Steam Generators uses liquid metal has heat transfer agent from fuel rods in Primary sector for steam generation in Second sector allowing extremely high temperatures of operation.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,709, Harada et.al. uses Nitrogen to make ammonia to capture hydrogen generated in the reactor primary sector which is not related to this patent.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,489, Tate et.al. uses Nitrogen gas for air cooling the water in the primary sector by cooling the external side of the containment wall. This also does not conflict with the concept of the present application.

U.S. Application 20080181351, Hosokawa et.al. infuses gaseous Nitrogen to reduce dissolved Oxygen level in Primary Sector cooling water—again not related.

U.S. Application 20060056572, Lecomte, Michel, has a gas generator using Helium as the primary sector coolant and a mixture of Helium with 50-30% Nitrogen gas in the secondary sector of nuclear reactors with gas generators—again not related.

U.S. Application 20100236284, DuBrucq, Preserving Liquid in Cryogenic Processes speaks to the purification section of the Nuclear Reactor apparatus described here with the major focus at the use with Nitrogen gas coming from condensation situations of fuel harvesting from oil shale, landfill and Methane hydrate substances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The need has arisen to provide a method of cooling nuclear fuel rods with pure, inert gas evaporated from its liquid form. The most efficient and cost effective choice is Liquid Nitrogen sourced Nitrogen gas used for the Primary Sector which directly contacts the fuel rods with pure Nitrogen molecules rather than the polluted water normally used with steam generators.

Additionally, using inert gas allows unpressurized heating of the Secondary stage which generates the steam for the electrical power generator if operating the Primary Sector at 374° C., the critical point of water.

Additionally, by speeding or slowing the influx of Nitrogen gas from Liquid Nitrogen, the fuel rod environment can be maintained between ends of a temperature range for best power generation with only the adjustment of flow rate.

Additionally, the products of fission and any other reaction products of the fuel rods can be eliminated from the Primary Sector by pulling particles from the Nitrogen gas and cooling it down condensing out the Ntirogen even freeing Hydrogen, Helium and Neon that might emerge from the fission reaction. These materials can be collected and controlled for properly disposing of materials radioactive or not by selling pure material.

Additionally, without having to rely on a body of water to cool the water bathing the fuel rods, the location of the nuclear reactor can be secure with just shielding of the fuel rod and steam and power generator sections from heat detecting probes.

Additionally there is the possibility of reducing the size of the nuclear power generator with the Nitrogen cooling Primary Sector to a size that could power a train or boat or aircraft, while still keeping the radiation associated with nuclear facilities away from passengers and crew and cargo that might be effected by radiation.

Additionally the nuclear facility could be underground increasing the safety and putting it closer to the end user of the power, thus reducing the need for a power grid structure that when damaged, shuts down sections of the country as practiced in the USA.

Additionally, the nuclear reactor could be on board a spacecraft where temperatures in darkness can reach −270° C., sufficient to freeze the Nitrogen to a solid at −210° C., in two forms at −237° C. and to take it to liquefying temperature at −195.8° C. as one gets into the light allowing minimum mass for electrical power creation.

And, finally, additionally, to have purity of coolant in the fuel rod area allowing collection of byproducts of nuclear reactions to be amassed for sale or research uses.

These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and accompanying drawings, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a rendition of a steam generating nuclear power plant showing the primary and secondary sectors plus the inert gas source and cooling regulation.

FIG. 2 shows the cycling of the Nitrogen or other inert gas coolant to purify it and harvest the fission products and then liquefy the gas and evaporate it giving a pure, mono-element coolant for the primary section of the reactor.

FIG. 3 shows the Steam Power Generator compartment with the steam condensing upon use and flowing into a collector with pump that recycles the water back into the Secondary Section which generates steam. Here water can accumulate salts.

FIG. 4 shows the Steam Power Generator compartment with the steam condensing upon use and condensed water flowing into an ice cube generator which can remove salts from the water as the ice freezes. Not shown is a cube wash which eliminates the salts on the outer surface of the ice and the containers where they freeze. Coldness to freeze the water is achieved by freezing in the inert gas purifier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A First Embodiment of the Present Invention

Turning now to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, shows the components of the nuclear reactor steam power generator as 1 the primary section of the reactor with fuel rods 4 in a container 10 flooded with inert gas 11 held on a base 5; the secondary section 2 which generates the steam 70 by having the radiators 21 at the critical temperature of water, 374° C.; the third section 3 recycles and purifies the inert gas. The final section 8 is the steam generator that creates the power. The power generator is not elaborated upon since this discovery only deals with creating sufficient steam to drive the generator which is of anothers' design. Details of 3 are given in FIG. 2.

The process in the Primary Sector 1 is as follows: The pure, inert gas at cryogenic temperature enters the Primary cylinder 10 at the twin inputs 12 feeding fresh gas into the contained gas 11 to absorb the heat generated by the fuel rods 4. As the temperature reaches 374° C., the critical temperature for water keeping it all vapor, steam, the hot gas from around the fuel rods rises up to the top plate 14 and flows into the hot gas pipes 20 heating the radiator 21 to the critical temperature so water in the Secondary Section 2 converts to steam. Some radiators have an exit pipe 27 to heat another segment of radiator. The gas, then cooled from heating the radiator(s), leaves via the cooled gas pipes 22 which takes the cooled gas to the base 5 of the Primary Section where it enters the Primary section 23 cycling the gas to again be heated by the fuel rods.

The process in the Secondary Sector 2 includes the steam shell 26 which is fully insulated against heat loss to preserve the steam 24, generated on the radiators 21, which then passes to the steam generator 8 to drive the power generator.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the purifying process for the inert gas, the gas passing out of the Primary Sector from orifice 7 where wide passage 70 first implements dropping of particles carried by the gas dropping it down the cylinder 71 to the bottom accumulation 15. The gas is cooled by proximity of the cryogenically cold gas pipes 30, and as it cools, impurities which emerge from the fission process carried in the gas are condensed and held in thermal level segments 31 and then the gas passes through the used gas outlet 13 into the lower section 33 of the double chamber box where the used gas reaches cryogenic temperature—close to, if not at, −195.8° C. The cryogenic used gas passes through the light gas separator 34 where the light gases, Hydrogen, Helium and Neon, rise in the Light gas cylinder 36. As they collect the cylinder rises. To store these light gases, when the cylinder is lowered with valve 37 open, the light gases pass through the light gas storage tie 38 and into the light gas carriers 39, suggest mylar balloons. The used gas with both heavier materials extracted and the light gases extracted then passes through the entrance 61 of the Nitrogen gas/Liquid Nitrogen mixer condensing the gas into liquid. The Liquid Nitrogen—pure—passes through the tube 60 entering the dewar 16 at opening 62. The Liquid Nitrogen valve 63 driven by thermal controllers in the Primary Sector 1 adjusts the rate of flow of the liquid Nitrogen through the sieve unit 64 causing the Liquid Nitrogen to rain 65 into the upper chamber 32, the gas input chamber, which then passes through the two pipes 30 cooling the exhaust gas as it warms and enters the Primary Sector 1 at the pure Nitrogen input 12 keeping the gas temperature around the fuel rods at the proper level.

Looking at FIG. 3, not showing the steam power generator design since it is not part of this patent, the water cycle is illustrated in the Steam Generator Section 8 where steam 70 cools with use producing water 71 which is collected in the water collector 72 and passed into the collecting tube 73, through a pump 74 which moves it upward allowing it to pass through the faucet 75 and into the sieve 76 which makes it fall like rain in drops 77 onto the radiator units 21 which convert it to steam 70 which drives the steam power generator.

Looking, last, to FIG. 4, not showing the steam power generator design since it is not part of this patent, the water cycle is enhanced by freezing the water to eliminate salts from the water. The power generator section 8 has the steam 70 condensing into water 71 which is collected in the water catch 72 and passes down the collecting tube 73. It then enters the cryogenic cold atmosphere of the inert gas purifier 3 so the water can freeze in the ice cubers 81 which are attached to the conveyor 80 moving in a loop. The collector tube 73 fills the ice cubers 81 with water 71 which freezes into ice cubes 82. As the conveyor progresses, the ice cubes 82 are set on the ice cube collector 83 which turns and releases the ice cubes 82 to the ice cube lift 84 which carries them up into the Secondary Section 2 placing them in the sieve 76 where they melt and the water 71 rains down as water drops 77 falling on the radiator units 21 where they evaporate into steam 70 which passes on to drive the steam power generator, not shown. Salts in the water will move to the outside of the ice cube 82 or stick in the ice cuber 81. The salts can be washed in the process, but this process is not shown.

To understand the workings of the cooling system for the fuel rods in the Primary Section 1 combined with the purifying section 3, there are only two adjustment valves needed, that controlled by the thermal regulator pacing the flow of Liquid Nitrogen 63 and the valve 37 opening the light gas exhaust to fill the mylar balloon or other light gas storage means 39 which just releases the light gases to reduce the volume in the cylinder so it can be further separated and sold with Hydrogen used to reduce Calcium compounds to Calcium metal if desired. (Reference here to DuBrucq patent application Ser. No. 11/825,992.) Helium and Neon are separated by density. The impure inert gas 7 is pulled from the Primary section 1 by the dropping out of air suspended grit 15 which precipitates and the condensing of material 31 contaminating the inert gas, most likely Nitrogen 11, drawing more gas from the Primary section 1. Then as the gas continues it releases light gases as Hydrogen, Helium and Neon which further pull the Nitrogen along. Finally the Nitrogen is mixed with Liquid Nitrogen in the mixer 61 which takes out the gaseous Nitrogen which is then replaced in the exhaust tube by more gas from the primary chamber.

Driving this pull of gas from the Primary section is the cryogenic side of the Nitrogen cycle where the Liquid Nitrogen is carried to the dewar from the Mixer and is apportioned with a valve to regulate the fuel rod environment temperature. It evaporates in the upper chamber over the exhaust gas chamber cooling it after condensing out impurities and before the light gas release. The cryogenic, pure, inert Nitrogen passing up the tubes over the exhaust tube cools it to implement impurity condensing and then passes into the Primary chamber 1 to cool the fuel rods as fission reaction in them heats the environment.

The water cycle in the system is driven by the heated radiator units 21 converting water drops 77 into steam 70 in the Secondary chamber and passed on to the Steam Power Generator chamber 8 where with power transfer it condenses into water 71 and is collected in the water catch 72 and collecting tube 73 where it can be pumped back into the secondary chamber and passed through a sieve 76 to rain onto the radiator units 21, or, to purify the water, can be frozen into ice cubes in the cryo-chamber 3 and passed back into the steam chamber 2 to melt and run through the sieve 76 and rain onto the radiators. Power here is by the pump 74 for the water coming from the collecting tube 73 or the lift 84 for the ice cubes as well as the turning of the loop conveyor 80 for the ice cubers and the turning of the ice cube collector 83.

With the purification of both the inert gas, most likely Nitrogen, and water, the system can be kept free from contaminates and the fission products are eliminated being carried by the Nitrogen gas into the purifier. The thermal control is regulated by the rate of passage of the Liquid Nitrogen. The feed of Liquid Nitrogen can be increased with an external auxiliary feed into either the mixer 61 or the dewar 16. That would be part of a fixed fire control system for the Nuclear Power Plant facility preventing meltdown of the fuel rods. Fire fighting and crises control with Liquid Nitrogen is covered in DuBrucq's U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,506 and other pending applications.

Many changes and modifications could be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. The scope of some of these changes can be appreciated by comparing the various embodiments as described above. The scope of the remaining changes will become apparent from the appended claims. 

1. A method of steam generation in nuclear reactors that operates dual chambers, one, with the fuel rods bathed in pure, inert Nitrogen gas and the other housing the water for conversion to steam to power the generators that: a. operates with dry fuel rods at the critical point of water—all steam temperature. b. provides a radiator interface between the hot gas and the water component. c. requires less, if not no, external area for cooling of water components. d. separates out gaseous products of fission before release into the air. e. generates a greater quantity of steam from pure water than water coolant systems, and, f. maintains a store of Liquid Nitrogen or a Noble gas for fire and crises handling throughout the facility.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pure, inert Nitrogen gas cloud sustained at or above 374° C. keeps fuel rods from Oxygen preventing meltdown from oxidation reactions but absorbs the heat of fission in the primary segment of steam generated nuclear power production.
 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of heat transfer at critical point for water sustaining a steam environment for the steam generator to produce electrical power in the secondary component.
 4. The method according to claim 1 of purifying the inert gas by creating a gradient for cooling the Nitrogen being recycled so the fission products released as particles, condensed gases and, as Nitrogen reaches the liquefying temperature, the hydrogen, helium and neon formed separate out rising above the cold molecular Nitrogen gas and can be captured in an inverted cylinder type separator and stored, as in mylar balloons.
 5. The method according to claim 1, which provides fire and crises protection for the entire facility protecting the computer and control mechanisms as well as the building and physical work areas of the power plant because the stored Liquid Nitrogen can be directed to flow into the fire and crises control piping to areas affected by crises.
 6. A method of steam generation of electrical power that can vary in size of reactor equipment giving better flexibility to use than water cooled primary systems since the need for external cooling is self-contained and does not include bodies of water.
 7. A method of thermal control of the primary sector of nuclear reactors regulated by infusing the sector with the same inert gas just evaporated from its liquid phase making small additions to the gas volume giving rapid thermal cooling of the fuel rod environment enabled with: a. thermal tracking of the ambient temperature of the primary sector of the nuclear reactor with both high temperature limits and low temperature limits for intervention. b. high temperature limits reached activate cryogenic liquid infusion into the primary sector a stream of just evaporated inert gas lowers the ambient temperature of the primary sector until the temperature is again within the range of normal operation. c. low temperature limits reached activate slowing the circulatory action of the inert gas so less “fresh” just evaporated gas flows in preserving the heat of fission of the fuel rods to maintain the gas environment at the critical point of water, 374° C. d. general cycling of the inert gas in the primary sector provides a slow flow of the just evaporated gas into the chamber and exhaust of the hot gas out for cooling and purifying of accumulated fission products keeping a clean fuel rod environment. 